Sermons Experimental, Sermon 1 · Verse 11
VERSE. X, XI.
I was greatly afflicted: I ſaid in my haſte, All men are lyars.
foreign annexed, This Paſſage is here brought in by way of Prolepſis, or of Anticipation; as if he had ſaid, Yet conceive me not as vaunting of ſuch perfection of faith in theſe afflictions, as if I had not ſo much as conflicted with infidelity; For I muſt confeſſe, I found more then wavering in the exerciſe of faith, I ſaid, All men are lyars.
The words then tend to mitigate what he ſaid of the ſtrength of faith; and in ſumme, are a confeſſion of the defects he found in the exerciſe of faith; wherein conſiderable are. Firſt, The ſin, I ſaid, All are lyars. Secondly, The cauſe, or mean-accidentall of his ſinne, Sore affliction. Thirdly, The next occaſion of it, His haſty, and unadviſed paſſion.
Senſe. Affliction we call all thoſe preſſures outward, or inward, which commonly come under the tearm of Malum poenae, which deprive us of thoſe things that are good to ſenſe.
Their lightneſſe, or greatneſſe, is commonly meaſured by the good they deprive us of, in ſtate, in fame, in perſon, or dignity, &c. or by the meaſure, and degree wherein they ſtrike us in either, or elſe by our eſteem, and apprehenſion of the good they deprive us of, and they are commonly greater, or leſſe in our ſenſe, according to the price, or eſteem we ſet upon the good thing whereof they ſtrip us: Let a worldling be touched in his goods, it grieves him more then if he be robbed of name, of health, of children; Touch a parent in the dearling, that is a great affliction: In a word, moſtly they are lighter, or greater, according to our apprehenſion; though they have in them a reall lightneſſe, or gravity, according to the kinde, or degree of impreſſion; ſuch Davids here.
I ſaid in my haſte: Some render, In praecipitantia, ſome, In ecſtaſi; he means, in the haſte, and violence of his paſſion, before he had thorowly deliberated on what he ſhould ſay or think, as Pſal. 31.22.
All men are lyars: Is that a fault? Is there not truth in the aſſertion? Rom. 3.4.
Anſw. It is true, all men are lyars, Comparative ad Deum, Shall man compared with God be righteous? Mans righteouſneſſe is more then menſtruous in that compariſon, his truth, in reſpect of Gods, is meer falſhood and lying; as there is none good but God onelyonly, namely, originally and eſſentially, ſo none is true but God, in like ſenſe; yet as Barnabas was a*Act. 11.24. good man, by participation, ſo are men all that are ſanctified; ſo truth we partake from God in our renovation, this being part of the Image of God: Take man in his naturall inclinations, ſo he is a lyar, a murderer, what not? Yet take him as regenerate, and ſanctified, ſo he hates lying, and ſpeaks*Pſal. 15.2. truth that is in his heart: But laſt of all, ye muſt underſtand, there are ſome men that in ſome things are privileged from lying, ſpeaking by an infallible Spirit, as Prophets, and Apoſtles in all they ſpake, and wrote, as inſtruments, or Scriveners of the holy Ghoſt, ſo were they privileged from lying;*Pſal. 45.1. My tongue the pen of a ready writer: They ſpake as inſpired by the holy Ghoſt, 2 Pet. 1.21. ſo they could not erre, or lie in any thing they delivered to the Church, or to any perſon they ſpake unto as from God: Now this was Davids ſinne, that in the generallity, he wrapt in Samuel alſo, who had ſpoken unto him in the Name of the Lord, and aſſured him of ſucceeding Saul in the kingdome of Iſrael, and of ſtabliſhing his throne over that kingdome; and this is the fault David confeſſeth here of himſelf: Lo here then, to what exigents, and extremities of diſtemper Gods great ſervants are brought through great afflictions; to doubt, to queſtion, yea, in paſſion to deny the truth of God, and his fidelity: conferre that, Pſal. 89.19.37.38, &c. To like end tend, the whole 37. and 73. Pſalmes, though, in part, on another ground: How violent impreſſions afflictions have had in men moſt renowned, Iob, Ieremie, Peter, many other ſervants of God, Scripture hiſtories abundantly teach you.
Reaſons if you ſhall ask me, I can give none better then theſe. Firſt, Nature is fertile of all ſinnes; no ſinne, nor degree of ſinne, may ſeem ſtrange to us in any man, ſo farre as he is naturall; not blaſphemy, not Atheiſme, not infidelity; let it therefore prevail above grace, as oft it*Rom. 7.23. doth, the beſt men will ſhew, what they are by nature. Secondly, Next, is divine deſertion, Gods leaving man to himſelf, as oft in particulars he doth, ſo he did Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.31. whereof if ye ſhall ask reaſons, take theſe. Firſt, To humble us. Secondly, To make us hold faſt by God. Thirdly, To teach us compaſſion, Luke 22.32. Thirdly, What ſhould I tell you of the Devills ſuggeſtions, which as we ſeldome want, ſo leaſt under heavie afflictions, ſee Iob 2.4, 5.
Marry, if you enquire of the occaſions, I can ſhew you many. Firſt, Overconfidence of our own ſtrength, by which occaſion David confeſſeth, his great trouble fell, Pſal. 30. and by this reaſon fell Peter, Matth. 26. Secondly, Next, if not ignorance, (for ſo farre I am loath to charge ſo great Saints) yet inconſideration: Firſt, Of the manner of convaying promiſes, whether temporall, or ſpirituall, or eternall, which are not abſolute, but conditionall; yea, even in ſpiritualls tied to means; and with reſervation of power to the promiſer to chaſten, try, manifeſt grace, &c. Secondly, Of the ſtrange means by which God brings his purpoſes to paſſe, even by ſuch ofttimes which ſeem to overthrow the promiſe, and to croſſe the performance of it; as when David hath promiſe of the kingdom, what leſſe appears then a kingdome, in the whole courſe of David, ſo many perills he was plunged into? Thirdly, You may obſerve to be giving leave to reaſon to overſway in deciſion of things, which are but meerly upon faith, and power of the promiſer; ſo Sarah, and Zacharie fell upon their fidelity; ſhe laughing at the promiſe, he doubting, becauſe he ſaw all in nature againſt it.
Vſe. 1 It is a Rule we give, that no man may withdraw himſelf from any croſſe, or affliction God ſhall call him to ſuffer; ſee Heb. 10.38. Yet ſecondly, from this ground, let no man throw himſelf into unneceſſary affliction, much leſſe wiſh, or pray for it; For, knoweſt thou what thy iſſues ſhall be? I mean, when thou goeſt out of thy wayes, and headlongeſt thy ſelf into ſuch temptations? Have you forgotten Saint Peters iſſue, upon that occaſion? Who bad, or warranted him to enter the high Prieſts hall? there to hazard himſelf to death; ſee 1 Cor. 10.12. Look you, there is difference twixt a great affliction impoſed by God, and little croſſe drawn upon our ſelves; Be it never ſo grievous, when God impoſeth it, reſt aſſured, he will ſtrengthen, 1 Cor. 10.13. but when we put it upon our ſelves, then fear, God ſurely puniſheth ſuch preſumption.
There be of you who long for dayes of perſecution, who dares pray for death, before God ſends it, or wiſh him to ſend it, before the time of nature, or perhaps the hour of preſcience; how know you, you ſhall be able to endure the pangs thereof, I mean, when you call for it? Hath God made a promiſe in any affliction we ſeek, or caſt our ſelves upon, to ſupport us? Shew us that promiſe, and then inſult, elſe ſure we know not our ſelves; God who made us, knows us and our mould, it is his great mercy that he keeps us from temptations of our forefathers, for, a thouſand to one, but we ſhould periſh under them.
Secondly, Learn hence to moderate your cenſures Vſe. 2 in reſpect of Gods children, and their fouleſt falls; eſpecially, when you ſee great, and violent temptations preſſing thereto: Two faults ye ſhal commonly obſerve in men towards other mens faultings by ſuch occaſion; Firſt, That we are ready to condemn of hypocriſie, as Iobs friends, and that for the ſtate of their perſons; or elſe ſecondly, marvellous rigorous and auſtere in cenſuring the ſinne, and then we cannot ſatisfie our ſelves in our Rhetoricall amplification, by all circumſtances of the ſinnes that they have fallen into; Oh that we could remember that of Saint Paul, *Gal. 6.1.We may be tempted; yea, and as fouly overcome, as they that have fouleſt fallen; let not him who girds on his armour, boaſt as he that puts it off: excellent is that adviſe of Saint Bernard, excuſe his intention, if thou canſt not his action, or if the fall be ſo foul as to admit no extenuation; yet ſay, Vehemens fuit tentatio, quid de me illa feciſſet, ſi accepiſset in me ſimiliter poteſtatem?
Thirdly, You will ſay perhaps, what odds twixt infidelity of David, and that of others, profeſſed Infidels?
Anſw. In the fact none more then in other ſins; Davids adultery and murder is Quoad genus facti, all one with that of Am on and Abſolom, yet a difference is to be ſeen twixt one and other; Two you have here expreſſed; Firſt, It is not a light affliction that occaſions Gods Saints to doubt, or murmure, or grow incredulous: the devill was deceived, when he ſaid of Iob, that his loſſe of goods, or children, would make him curſe God to his face;*Iob 1.22. In all this Iob ſinned not with his mouth, nor charged God fooliſhly: But great, and violent afflictions, they work ſometimes ſtrangely, even upon gracious diſpoſitions; the leaſt loſſe alienates an hypocrite, if it be but lack of plenty, it makes them ready to devote themſelves to the ſervice of the*Ier 44.17. Queen of heaven. Secondly, Their infidelity is paſſionate, and indeliberate, when paſſions indeed cloud judgment, diſturb memory, blind certified reaſon, then ye ſhall ſee they ſhew themſelves men, but give them time to pauſe, & to debate the matter with ſolid judgement, that they are maſters of their wits, and paſſions are calmed, then they can ſay, as the Prophet, It is mine *Pſal 77.10.infirmity; then, they*Pſal. 73.22. be-beaſt themſelves for ſuch thoughts; then, as Saint Peter, They go out, and weep *Matth. 26.7….bitterly: Now look to other men, that are habited in Infidelity, hardened in Atheiſme, it is not paſſion that tranſports them, but in their beſt adviſed thoughts, they ſtudy to contradict the truth of God, and of ſuch means, Saint*Iam. 1.6. Iames, when he ſaith, foreign, it ſignifies the Diſcrutatour, or Diſputer againſt the promiſe.
It may be demanded, what moved David, or the Spirit that guided him, to publiſh this foul crime of himſelf?
Anſw. For the generall, Gods Spirit leaving ſuch records of humane frailty in great Saints, aimed at, Firſt, Our humiliation, and fear; for if ſuch Cedars fell, ſuch prime Saints ſinned ſo fouly, ſhould we be high-minded, and not rather *Rom. 11.20.fear? Secondly, Our circumſpection and watchfulneſſe againſt the occaſions; wherefore ye have uſually, together with the ſinne, the occaſion noted how they fell; Saint Peter through his preſumption; David by precipitancie, and paſſion here, elſewhere by idleneſſe into luxury, by luxurie into cruelty; note we it againſt like occaſions. Thirdly, God would let us ſee what we are by nature the beſt of us, when we are left to our ſelves, ſecured from no ſinne, be it never ſo notorious, or abominable; not from infidelity, not from blaſphemy, &c. Fourthly, Even by this he would teach us, that the juſtification of the moſt righteous is of meer grace, which as it is the reaſon why we all carry about us a body of ſinne in this life, ſo of the falls of all Gods greateſt ſervants; wherefore I think it is, that men of greateſt grace, have fouleſt falls noted of them, yea more then of meaner Saints. Fiftly, That humour of uncharitable, and mercileſſe cenſuring of our brethren, overtaken by infirmity, God deſires hereby to prevent, if it were poſſible; For why doeſt thou in it alſo condemn the generation of the juſt? Theſe reaſons of the generall.
But why the Penners of Scripture, ſuch as David was, did record their own faults with ſuch ingenuity, and candor? Our Divines take notice of a ſpeciall reaſon of Gods ordinance, and providence diſpoſing in that kinde; to wit, that men might be aſſured they ſought not in their writings to advance themſelves, or as Politiques to captivate the people to obedience of that holy Doctrine they taught, out of their ſanctity, or dignity: For, would they then have poliſhed their own blemiſhes? But that indeed they were over-ruled by a ſupreamer power, whoſe glory they ſought, not their own, in penning the Scritures for behoof of poſterity: wherefore obſerve ſcarcely any of the Pen-men of Scripture, but have their blemiſhes noted; Moſes his own, and his brother Aarons; Samuel the foul falls of his children; Iſaiah his own detracting; Ieremie his own curſing his birth; Amos his mean education; Matthew his Publicaniſme; Paul his perſecution; David here his infidelity, elſewhere, his leſſe then blaſphemy, Pſal. 77. Are theſe the courſes of Politicians? See heatheniſh Law-givers, how deſirous they were to ſeem petty gods?
But ſo, even from this argument, which Scripture it ſelf natively affords, may we help and cure our infidelity, touching the queſtion ſo much controverted, whether Scriptures were inſpired from God? I confeſſe, no man ſhall have firm perſwaſion of the Divine Authour of them, but by the Spirit of God, 1 Ioh. 5.6. That is, by the holy impreſſions which by this Doctrine he faſtens upon our ſouls; for it is no vocall, but a reall teſtimony; yet are there arguments alſo from conſent, antiquity, fulfilling of propheſies, &c. of no ſmall force to work conviction.
Laſtly, whereas David confeſſeth his infidelity iſſued anſwerable from his violent paſſion; Take heed of paſſions haſty, and unadviſed reſolutions, whither may they carry us? Who knowes? To infidelity, to uncharitableneſſe, to caſting off of humanity▪ A wiſe man will ſtabliſh his thoughts by Counſell: Now unadviſed reſolutions are in two ſenſes named, as there is a twofold ground for counſell to direct it ſelf by. Firſt, The one is, as Saint Paul calls it, Fleſh and blood, carnall reaſon, whereon a man deliberating, ſhall finde a ground for the corrupteſt action to warrant, and encourage to it. Secondly, Now David he tells us of another Rule; Thy ſtatutes are the men of my Councell, Pſa. 119.24. Now thus think, though according to fleſh and blood they may ſeem adviſed reſolutions; yet think, if they be not in their, Firſt, Matter. Secondly, Meaſure. Thirdly, Manner of carriage ſubject to Gods Law, they are in Religion unadviſed reſolutions, ſee Rom. 8.7. Yea, be they never ſo wiſe, yet ſo farre as they are not guided by religion, they are unadviſed, they are fooliſh: 1 Sam. 16. How long wilt thou mourn for Saul? is there no end of thy ſorrow? This makes it Carnall, and take heed it occaſion not more croſſes. Ionah 4.4. When Ionah was ſo over-angry for Gods ſparing Nineveh, ſaith God unto him, Doeſt thou well to be angry? It was unadviſed Anger: It ſeemed an adviſed perſwaſion, which the elder brother would have faſtned upon his father, Reaſon he had for it, He hath ſpent thy living with Harlots; It is true, yea, but he is a Penitent, is it not meet then we ſhould joy? Luk. 15. I love not to particularize, I know not what warrant I have for it; but this let me ſay, Whatſoever affection of wrath, or love, or Grief, is not in the ground and meaſure of it ſubject to the law of God, that's unadviſed; Whatſoever reſolution, ſeem it never ſo warrantable in Reaſon, is not ſubject to the Law of God, that's carnall, and to be reputed as fooliſh, and unadviſed. Not to accept ſubmiſſion of a Penitent, not to joy in his penitency, (which Angels, and Saints, yea, God himſelf doth) not to notice the leaſt degree of Grace, (and for it to thank God) not to cheriſh that Grace by all means, be it never ſo little, &c. Theſe Reſolutions are not from above, but they are Carnall, Senſuall, I pray God not*Iam. 3.15. Devilliſh alſo.